DIGITAL EDITION

AAA Flag and Banner produces superwide graphics for the NHL All Star Game.

Hockey fever was in the air in Raleigh, North Carolina, as the city geared up to host the National Hockey League’s All-Star Game in late January. The NHL pulled out all the stops for the event, peppering inside and outside the Convention Center, its surrounding hotels, and even the airport with larger-than-life depictions of some of its most famous players and teams. With Salt Lake City-based Infinite Scale Design Group spearheading the creative efforts, it wasn’t long before local organizers got caught up in the action.

Most small-business owners have a love/hate relationship with credit cards and credit-card companies. While it’s difficult to find someone who doesn’t have a story about how a credit card saved the day, it’s also just as likely to come across a horror story about something bad that happened regarding a business or personal credit-card transaction.

Don’t tell your customers, but sometimes it’s possible to make a big statement without print being in the mix. Case in point: Situ Studio’s work for the reOrder exhibit that opened in March at the Brooklyn Museum and involved transforming the museum’s 10,000-square-foot Great Hall using 2440 yards of Sunbrella Canvas Natural fabric. The fabric, donated by Glen Raven, was pleated and stretched over metal frames “to create the illusion of growth and change among the columns,” with the fabric structures varying in size and volume.

When Greg Nicola, owner of California tattoo studio Armored Ink, came to Loring Studios looking to wrap his shop’s 2002 Volkswagen Jetta, Loring designer Josh Tolbert developed the idea to visually turn the compact car into a heavy-duty tank. Tolbert even ventured to the General Patton Memorial Museum to produce the most authentic and aged “tank look,” capturing high-res images of genuine tanks on a Canon digital SLR, then replicated and manipulated the images for the wrap design using Adobe Design Suite.

Car-wrap installer Justin Pate has created two new vehicle-graphic installation DVDs for his “Techniques and Tips” training series. The DVDs – titled “Advanced Wrapping” and “Speedwrapping” -- are geared for the intermediate and professional installer.

Eyedentity Graphics works to help produce a 38-foot, flame-broiled RV to promote the profession of firefighting.

The folks at Firecareers.com will be burning up the road in a 38-foot, flame-broiled RV as they traverse the country throughout 2011 to promote the profession of fire fighting at colleges, schools, community centers, and firehouses. Their journey, which will culminate this fall at Ground Zero in Manhattan during a special event to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the 9-11 attacks, began in the creative studio at Camarillo, California-based Eyedentity Graphics (eyedentitygfx.com).

Fisher Textiles has added GF 2328 Satin (FR) to its line of Grand Format fabrics for dye-sublimation, UV, and latex printing. GF 2328 Satin is a high sheen satin fabric that is lightweight (3.8-oz) and 100% polyester. GF 2328 Satin is flame retardant and passes the NFPA 701 test, the company reports. Applications include banners, roll-up banner stands, tradeshow exhibits, and more.
Available in 79- and 120-in. widths.

For creating high-quality black-and-white images from scanned or digital photographs.

Nik Software has announced a major upgrade to its Silver Efex Pro software, for creating high-quality black-and-white images from scanned or digital photographs. Silver Efex Pro 2 boasts an array of new features including:

• A History Browser, which facilitates intuitive comparison of previous edits and different looks;
• Dynamic Brightness, to enable adaptive brightening adjustments for different areas in the image;
• Amplify Blacks and Amplify Whites, to increase the presence of highlights and shadows adaptively throughout the image;

Mutoh has debuted its eco-friendly MP (“multi-purpose”) inks, for use in its ValueJet 1608HS-Hybrid printer. The fast-drying inks comprise 60% bio-based material and contain no hazardous VOCs or heavy metals, the company reports; they’re designed to output onto vinyl, banner, and a wide range of plastics. Available in four colors (CMYK) and in 950-ml packs.

3M Graphics has introduced Scotchcal Gloss Overlaminate 8528, designed to withstand harsh environmental conditions, including UV rays and acid dew -- the latter the result of pollutants mixing with dewdrops and becoming increasingly acidic with sunlight, becoming common in Los Angeles and other West Coast cities, reports 3M.

The 2-mil cast vinyl is intended for use with solvent, latex, and UV inks. 3M is offering a warranty for both horizontal and vertical surfaces. Available in 54-in.-wide rolls (25 and 50 yards); sample rolls are available.